Monthly Archives: December 2011

2011: The Self-Publishing Year In Review

Posted on December 29, 2011 by David Gaughran

This has been a year of massive changes. Some of the older hands say that the business has always been this way. However, I don’t think we are simply seeing another year of flux. Instead, we are witnessing a process unfold … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2011, amanda hocking, barry eisler, jk rowling, joe konrath, john locke, michael wallace, Scott Nicholson, self-publishing, year in review | 188 Comments

A Storm Hits Valparaíso – Released Today!

Posted on December 22, 2011 by David Gaughran

In 1810, José de San Martín deserts the Spanish Army and returns home to Buenos Aires to lead a bloody revolt against his former masters. Struggling with an increasing dependence on opiates, San Martín forms a secret army of thieves, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a storm hits valparaiso, historical adventure, historical fiction, historical novel, literary, literary fiction, new release, novel, San Martín, storm hits | 37 Comments

Around The World In 80 Drafts

Posted on December 19, 2011 by David Gaughran

Thailand might not seem like the most obvious place to start a historical novel set in early 1800s Argentina, but it made a lot of sense at the time. It was a cheap place to hole up for a few months … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a storm hits valparaiso, historical fiction, historical novel, journey to publication, multiple drafts, new release, querying an agent, Storm Hits Valparaiso, writing, writing a novel | 64 Comments

Publishers Desperately Trying To Protect Print Sales, And Failing

Posted on December 14, 2011 by David Gaughran

It has been apparent for quite some time that large publishers had been desperately trying to slow the (inevitable) transition to e-books – much as they might deny it. Despite all the breathless talk of “transmedia” and “metadata” and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged AAP, bookstore closures, borders, collapsing print, digital revolution, market share, price fixing, publishing, recommendation ecosystem, surging e-book sales | 93 Comments

How Much Do You Want To Get Paid Tomorrow?

Posted on December 11, 2011 by David Gaughran

Things had been going pretty smoothly for self-publishers. We were more or less done with the arguments about whether this was a viable path and whether you could attract an agent/publisher (if you wanted to) by self-publishing first. We had … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ad-supported, amazon, Amazon curveball, amazon lending library, kdp, kdp select, lending library, netflix, publishing future, subscription model | 190 Comments

Guest Post by Red Tash: Should You Write Your Second Book First?

Posted on December 6, 2011 by David Gaughran

It takes a lot of practice to write something worth publishing. Often the first book a writer releases is not the first they have written (or attempted to write). Some writers cycle through several novels before they hit on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged complex narratives, first novels, guerrilla mothering, leslea tash, red tash, this brilliant darkness, trunk novels | 52 Comments

November Report: Rising Tides, Higher Prices & A Lucky Break (Or Two)

Posted on December 2, 2011 by David Gaughran

November is a curious month, filled with strange American inventions like Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday (also known as National Buy-Yourself-A-Present Day). It’s also traditionally (as in since last year) when e-book sales pick up. At this early stage, … Continue reading →